Free The Sugar Mother by Elizabeth Jolley Page B

television. If Edwin and Leila walked then to avoid these other people, they would be sure to meet Daphne.
    At a party once everyone had been asked to write down what it was had kept them alive till the age of a hundred and one. And then they had guessed from the papers read aloud (anonymously) who had written the different recipes for a long life. Edwin reread now some of the things noted afterwards in his book of the intangible:
    Taking walks with my dog every day (Daphne)
    Laughing (Cecilia)
    His own contribution was the raw egg diet he was on at the time and some details of ritual washing and a sort of ritual lovemaking he had studied. He was off the raw eggs but still followed the other two. As he read now he saw them in context with Leila. He decided he would give her a book of poems. She was unspoiled in the literary sense. One of the advantages of having a mother like Leila’s mother was that Leila could, without anyone being hurt, be educated a little. Leila’s mother, he felt sure, would encourage him.

 
    W hen Cecilia telephoned, Edwin did not tell her about the visitors. What time was it over there she wanted to know. Vorwickl had missed her connection. Yes it was lonely. Vorwickl was to arrive a day late. Yes tomorrow. Look forward he told her. I’ll do that she said. How was he she wanted to know. Had he eaten the macaroni cheese yet? She had two bathrooms; she was laughing. A white rose in one and a dark red rose in the other. Fresh little basket of fruit and another little basket of sewing things and a whole bottle of whisky all to herself. A present. In the bathroom he asked. He thought he heard her laughing. She had killed a cockroach. A cockeroach in the exquisite apartment. No sorry suite. She couldn’t work the taps she told him. Phone the manager he said. I have she said. You can sit on the toilet and phone all sorts of people. No not on the lavatory now. Laughing again; he thought he heard her laughing. But the hotel housekeeper she said such a lovely soothing voice Canadian and polite and kind. Lovely he said. No tea she said. Drink whisky he said. I’ll do that she said she missed the tea. Had he remembered the quotation she wanted to know. He was still searching he told her books everywhere. Nose in book he said. She was sure she said he’d come up with something suitable. The conference she said. How’s the conference he asked. The delegates she told him some of them were in love with themselves. Self-abuse he said. She was laughing. One female she told him from the U.S. she said a gynecologist read herself into a trance with the most boring wandering lengthy paper. Goodheavens he said. Yes she said this gynecologist pleased with herself did not notice the audience slowly getting up and leaving on bent legs. I get the picture he said. Yes she said this woman had to be helped down the steps of the platform, stage—whatever; she didn’t know where she was. Potted palms she said. Lovely he said. The dining room she told him superb. Eat it all he said. I am she said. Bronze helmets full; roast potatoes. Bronze helmets he asked. Yes dishes she said. Roast beef and roast pork on spikes every roast has a gentleman carver. Sounds good he said. It is she said. Ornamental. Food in a colored mountain. Cakes. A tower of puff pastry balls held together in a sweet golden syrup. Maple syrup he supposed. Yes she said must be maple syrup. What about he said that remark of Jason’s If only children could be got some other way without the female sex it could be twisted to meet the needs of her paper. Most of the papers were boring that’s why she was eating too much. She had missed what he had just said would he say it again. I’ll write it he said. No she had not been interviewed. Don’t be sad he said go and buy something nice to wear Canadian wolf he said. She was missing him she said. He said he missed her. She would need something warm to wear she said. The